Oracle releases first Java Development Kit and JavaFX SDK for Mac OS X

One and a half years after Apple announced the depreciation of its edition of Java for the Mac platform, Oracle has announced the availability of its own Java Development Kit and JavaFX Software Development Kit for Mac users.

Back in October of 2010, Apple announced Java updates for OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard, but also noted that it would not continue to maintain its own runtime for Java.

Apple subsequently dropped Java from default installation in OS X Lion (below top), shifting its own development work on Java to the OpenJDK community. The company also changed how Java is installed on the Mac in order to facilitate the distribution of a third party Java runtime, which can be selected from OS X's Java Preferences (below bottom).

At the same time, Apple has made it clear that it doesn't see Java as contributing to consumer desktop Mac software, putting it alongside its own deprecated PowerPC Rosetta translator as being among the "deprecated or optionally installed technologies" that software can't make any use of if it is to be listed in the Mac App Store.

Oracle takes over Java for Mac

Oracle has worked with the OpenJDK community over the last year to complete the release of its own Java platform, ultimately releasing "Java Platform, Standard Edition 7 Update 4" (Java SE 7 Update 4) and JavaFX 2.1.

Oracle noted that the "OpenJDK Community continues to host the development of Java SE 7 on Mac OS X and JDK 8, the prototype reference implementation of Java SE 8. Oracle has also started the OpenJFX project as part of its plan to open source the JavaFX platform."

Apple's own version of Java only supported the earlier Java SE 6 specification. It also failed to incorporate the latest bug fixes and security changes Oracle had been releasing. This enabled malware writers to target the optional install of Java for Mac with attacks that targeted known exploits in the older software.

While Apple has since patched its own Java runtime, Oracle's newer release of its own Java runtime and tools will give developers an option they haven't had before. JavaFX 2.1 is now available for both Windows and Macs, with a developer preview available for Linux.

Hasan Rizvi, senior vice president of Oracle Fusion Middleware and Java Products, said in a press release, Oracle has aggressive plans for Java over the next few years and we are continuing to drive technical advancements across the platform. At JavaOne in 2011, we outlined our long-term roadmap for Java SE and JavaFX and we are working closely with the Java community to meet our development milestones.

"With the upcoming Mac OS X port, we look forward to delivering simultaneous releases of the JRE across all major operating systems later this year, so all Java users will be able to take advantage of the latest features and security fixes.

One of the great "bad" decisions was Googles choice to trash their relationship with Apple for in the end little profit, massive legal IP headaches, and causing Apple to attack Google core ad buiness. Oracle was lot more savy and will win the benefits. Samsung has also launched itself on a similar and unnecessary collision course.

Good. Now OS X is finally a first class citizen in the Java world. I can expect JDK 8 at the same time and Windows, Linux and Solaris users and don't have to deal with Apple dragging its feet, as it did when it shipped Leopard with only JDK 5 (6 was out).

Good. Now OS X is finally a first class citizen in the Java world. I can expect JDK 8 at the same time and Windows, Linux and Solaris users and don't have to deal with Apple dragging its feet, as it did when it shipped Leopard with only JDK 5 (6 was out).

This is excellent news all around.

The Apple team just chose to wait until the main Java team worked out all of their bugs, *then* do their development. Otherwise, they would have to deal with all of the "oh, darn, we have to fix the base level code" throes of agony.

What is the best path to proceed? Keep previous versions around or remove them as /Library versions by Oracle are installed?

Why doesn't the article provide any links?

If you're a developer using Java, you don't want to remove older versions. It's short-sighted to develop applications that will only run on the latest incarnation of java so you must keep older versions around to test against. Your users and the servers you deploy to may are likely to (WILL) be running under any number of versions, as well and many versions of available java libraries (with their own Java version requirements), such as from Apache. You cannot ignore this.